A Promise
by MokonaYi
Summary: Wearing the mask of Zero was what Lelouch had promised someone to do it when he was young, with the grand piano as the witness of the oath. Dedicated to H34RTSt4tion and a birthday present for her! Happie Burfday!


**AN:** It has been some time since I last wrote. Here's a little thingy for H34RTSt4tion as her birthday present! The idea came when I was having my piano class and my teacher ask me to recall the memories of the first time I played on the piano all of a sudden. And I realized just how much I forgot that playing the piano is such a pleasurable thing to do. But I didn't appreciate it as much as I did when I was starting to practice for the examinations.

So, to everyone, do remember that everything you are doing or going to do, you should do it because it is nothing but _fun_ and _happiness_! (Which most of us tend to forget~)

As always, thanks for all the reviews, favs and all! * is touched*

**Disclaimer:** Other than the piano in my home, I don't own anything relating to Code Geass…

"I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose — there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?"—Clara Schumann

_#MOKONA#_

The day was clear enough for the blue skies to be seen. And when a breeze of wind blew, the scent of his mother's favorite white roses could be smelled by him even from the room he was in right now. Perhaps it was the large opened window or the beautiful sheer curtain that made the sounds his fingers produced seemed so clear, sparkling in the air and humming silently with the wind. The piece he was playing was something that his tutor taught him a fortnight ago or so. Since the eleventh prince hadn't really played any works from that typical composer, he gladly gave the piece a chance. Never once did it cross his mind that he would be so attracted to the melody produced by the black dotted notes.

Lelouch vi Britannia smiled.

Music was one of the compulsory subjects for a child in the Britannian Imperial Family, and that includes each and every prince and princesses, as well as a certain second princess that preferred the sword more. It still amused him a lot when Lelouch saw Cornelia awkwardly holding a violin in her hand. Her face showed nothing but annoyance and irritation, especially whenever the violin produces a weird sound. Though most of his royal siblings chose violin as their first instrument, the complexity of black and white keys lying silently on a piece of fine maple wood fascinated a certain raven haired young prince. Perhaps it was when he saw his Schneizel-aniue playing gracefully on the so-called piano that made him wanted to learn the piano so much. It was a challenge he gave to himself.

While the dazzling sounds continued to dance around Lelouch's small figure, his ears did not fail to pick up slow and soft footsteps walking slowly behind him. A smirk appeared on his face when he saw the reflection of that person on the hardwood of the piano. He never thought that he could still distinguish that particular person's footsteps among the sound produced by the striking steel strings with felt covered hammers. Nevertheless, since this particular elder sibling of his was always so busy, his surprised appearance here made Lelouch's heart raced just a little, hoping to perform a perfect piece and amaze the blonde prince.

"Your Brahms is really soothing and beautiful, Lelouch."

When small fingers left the last note, the praise of the second prince, Schneizel el Britannia came together with applause behind the raven haired boy. He had heard hundreds playing Intermezzo in A major by Brahms, but almost all of them played the piece with nothing but overflowing sorrow and disappointments. Schneizel never once heard a Brahms sounding like this. Resounding in the tone of slight sadness and yet not even tinted by a trace of regret. And from that moment, the blonde prince realized something.

Lelouch was not playing in account of the composer's feelings.

He was implying his own resolve in the piece. As if telling his audience, no matter what decisions he made or was going to make, he would never ever regret it in his life.

Slowly, he continued to walk closer towards his younger brother until he was just standing beside Lelouch. Long and slender fingers ran through the score sitting silently there. He was indeed amazed to hear a mere 9-year-old boy to play at such a level. No doubt both the boy in front of him and Clovis had inherited the talent in arts from their bloodline. Schneizel reached out a hand to ruffle the mop of raven hair, earning him a chuckle from Lelouch and big pairs of violet irises looking up at him.

"Schneizel-aniue, did you know that this song was supposed to be sad?" an unexpected question that escaped his lips caught his elder brother's surprise. Recalling back his lesson with the piano tutor, Lelouch reminded himself about the words his tutor said. Only by then did he realize his style and message conveyed was a terrible mistake, deeply contrasting to what the feelings his tutor asked him to feel. Undeniable, doubting your own playing and trying to play the piece at once was a really tiring thing to do.

"Well, what makes you think like this?" startled by the sudden question, Schneizel pulled the nearby wooden chair closer towards the piano bench and sat on it while his mind searching a reason for Lelouch's question. The raven haired prince certainly played this piece differently but it did not sounded bad to him.

"He loved her, did he not? The woman named Clara Schumann. But she had a husband and she did not love her the way he did," Lelouch began. He knew clearly that all those information he said was not something unfamiliar to the person sitting in front of him. "I was told that this piece was supposed to convey the feelings of his disappointments and sadness towards the rejected love…" the last word did not really die away for the eleventh prince did not truly agree with what he was told.

"Just now…my style of playing…it is wrong isn't it?"

The hurting tone of the sentence made Schneizel's heart ached. The question was the purest and simplest of all that he had ever heard. No doubt if one had read through the life of Brahms would knew although fourteen years his senior, the great composer became very much attached to Schumann's wife, the composer and pianist Clara with whom he would carry on a lifelong and emotionally passionate relationship. Perhaps they interpreted the piece as something that Brahms wrote to describe his feelings towards the woman he could never be with. But who was them to judge how the piece should be performed?

"Lulu…"

"There is no exact right or wrong in music, just like how it is in real life. There will be no books or people to say whether the judgments you made are proper or otherwise," stopping a little while to let his sentence sink in, Schneizel held one of the small hands in his own, caressing tenderly. "There will be no clear indications between black and white for there is a territory of gray in the middle…" he was reluctant to expose his young and dearest brother to the cruel and cold world where people fought each other in terrible wars. There was never righteous nor justice in between wars.

It was all depended on which land you stood and the type of blood in your veins.

"Really?" Lelouch beamed. "To me…" shifting his body position a little left to face the blonde prince, Lelouch let out a contented smile before continuing his sentence. "I think Brahms must have had no regrets in his life when he died even though Clara did not return his love," violet eyes found Schneizel's while the small boy continued.

"He had made her happy, did he not? For me, it was more than enough…"

The blonde prince let out a chuckled, musing at how easily his brother was satisfied with life. Though born as a royal prince with fame and wealth surrounding him everyday, Lelouch's heart still shined with a glowing innocence of his. Many princes would have wanted for gold and glory, hundreds of mansions and acres of lands and perhaps, the throne of the Holy Britannia. Maybe it was in Lelouch's blood that he shared with Empress Marianne for the prince was never greedy like their other siblings and consorts.

Lelouch had only wanted for people to live peacefully and happily.

"But keep in mind, Lulu…" though he knew his young brother was still in tender age, due to his over packed schedule, Schneizel must use this opportunity to tell Lelouch something that he deemed important. Who knows whether this would be their last meeting of the year or not?

"No matter what decisions you need to make, remember to make a choice that will bring nothing but peace and happiness for the people in the world…"

_Just like how you said you will._

Laughter of the two most important in the empire filled the room housing the grand piano. Schneizel el Britannia was a smart man. But never did he once thought, the war between the terrorist of their future Area 11 and the Holy Britannia Empire that would soon break out in a decade was all because of what he had said to a mere boy.

After all, the young prince did grow up to become the masked man named Zero and lead his so called Black Rebellion to overthrow the empire.

In the midst of wars, somehow, Schneizel forgot his young brother once told him that what he had wanted was never anything about dominating the world…

But to bring happiness and peace to the world as he had promised.

_#MOKONA#_

**AN:** Happy Birthday to you, H34RTSt4tion!! I typed this thing when I am still having a slight fever and severe sore throat. *miserable* So mind me if there were a lot of errors in it! Any recommended remedy for sore throat? If you all don't mind, you can tell me your birthdays and perhaps I will drop you a birthday present! (In this form :D)

And oh yea, Intermezzo in A major by Brahms is one of the pieces I'm preparing for my upcoming diploma exam in May or June. I'm still puzzled about how should I perform that particular piece so if there's any fault in the story, I would like to apologize now and hopefully you can tell me how it was supposed to be! ^w^

Hope you guys like the story!

**MokonaYi**


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